


Do angels have hearts?

by lovelygallows



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Fallen Angels, Fictional Religion & Theology, Inspired By Good Omens, Light Angst, M/M, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Tension, Wingfic, angel!Akashi, demon!Kuroko
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 04:50:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11844291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelygallows/pseuds/lovelygallows
Summary: Kuroko's very being should be repulsive to Seijuurou – an abomination condemned by all his brethren. Yet all Seijuurou feels is awe, in the face of such undeniable magnificence.





	Do angels have hearts?

**Author's Note:**

> This is not actually a Good Omens AU, but rather it was inspired by Crowley and Aziraphale's partnership. I really love the idea of angels and demons but with a modern twist, so I wanted to see how Kuroko and Akashi would fit into these roles.  
> And the cast for the Good Omens TV show next year has just been announced this week, so happy coincidence!

“I would appreciate it if you refrained from drinking in my car, Tetsuya.”

Kuroko slurps his vanilla shake uncharacteristically loudly.

“I apologize, Akashi-kun,” he replies, with the hint of a smile pulling on the corner of his lips, not apologetic in the slightest.

 _He’s gotten cheeky_ , Seijuurou thinks. Once upon a time, Seijuurou would not have tolerated such insolence from anyone. _How did this happen?_ He sighs, feeling put-upon.

“Really, from the sheer amount of that unhealthy concoction you indulge in on a daily basis, one would assume that you are a demon of gluttony,” he admonishes.

“That would be unfitting,” Kuroko answers, “considering I hardly eat much else.” With a wave of his hand, he soundlessly made the offensive sugary drink vanish in a skillful display of natural stealth, the exact reason why Seijuurou chose him.

As a high-ranking official in the Order of Angels, Seijuurou has made it his mission to be on top of everything, of happenings in both Heaven and Hell. He needs eyes and ears, and he is not above buying off someone from the other side. Anything to be prepared for the war that has been foretold in the prophecies.

While most demons have an irksome penchant for flair, Kuroko’s lack of presence is highly convenient for gathering intel, making him the perfect man for the job. Besides, Seijuurou had considered back then that nobody would miss a low-ranking demon should something… unfortunate befall him. Seijuurou tries not to think of how, if Kuroko does go missing now, he would personally be the first one to go searching for him. He’d march to Hell and back if he has to, even tear down the gates of Heav –

He doesn’t dare continue that blasphemous line of thought. Instead, he recalls how he first approached Kuroko with his proposition, and how Kuroko had intrigued him even then. The demon agreed without so much as voicing a complaint – though it’s not like Seijuurou gave him any choice in the matter. What surprised Seijuurou, however, was that Kuroko refused the money he offered and instead requested that Seijuurou provided information in return.

“We could look out for each other,” Kuroko had told him, proposing a partnership, strangely earnest even with his calm tone.

Dangerous though it sounds, Seijuurou accepted his terms, more out of curiosity than anything. But he declined to refer to their agreement as such for obvious reasons, even though an inexplicable warm feeling filled up his chest at the sound of it.

“On the other hand,” Kuroko is saying now, “I would have preferred that we had these meetings on neutral ground.”

Indeed, the demon does look out of place on the posh leather seats of the limousine in which they are both sitting, with his frail body, in a slightly worn black jacket over a simple light blue shirt, and old jeans, though he’s holding his own admirably.

“Or you could stop by the shop again,” Kuroko suggests. “It’s been a while since you last visited.” This time he does smile, and Seijuurou feels somewhat dismayed to find that he is still weak to its effects.

“You know well enough that this is safer than any public venue,” Seijuurou counters, recovering quickly. “Or that sad excuse you have for a bookstore.”

He doesn’t mean to be harsh, but really, nobody ever goes to Kuroko’s old bookstore. Even if, on the off chance, somebody does wander in there by mistake, Kuroko never sells them anything, unwilling to actually part with any of the rare books that he has collected. It’s a wonder he manages to keep the place running. Seijuurou wouldn’t admit it, but the seclusion actually does make it the ideal meeting place, and he’s certain that Kuroko is more than capable of taking precautions against potential eavesdroppers.

But, during the few times that Seijuurou had occasion to set foot in there, he actually found the experience… enjoyable. Seeing Kuroko in his natural habitat, among his beloved books – Kuroko, who almost never drops his poker face, looking so happy then and there – Seijuurou felt like being let in on a secret, and he felt closer to the demon than he ever had with any of his brethren. And there was constantly a constricting sensation in his chest that couldn’t possibly have been healthy.

No, some professional distance must be maintained, and Seijuurou would be considerably more comfortable if these meetings had some semblance of business transactions. At the very least, it would keep him from examining his own feelings too closely.

Kuroko says nothing, only giving Seijuurou a look that is just a tad too knowing for his liking. _Observant as ever_ , Seijuurou thinks, almost fond.

Well, he’s certainly good at his job, Seijuurou will give him that much. The information he gathers is always useful, even seeming to be specifically tailored to help Seijuurou personally. Kuroko has gotten him out of a tight spot more times than he can count, so much so that Seijuurou actually feels motivated to be of as much help as he can in return.

But as time passes, their combined intel has begun to show sure signs of… shady business going on behind the scenes – not just on Kuroko’s side, but also on Seijuurou’s own. Without realizing it at first, Seijuurou is slowly collecting the puzzle pieces to a bigger picture that he isn’t sure he wants to see, and yet cannot look away from. It has driven him to seek more answers, pushing him towards an inevitable conclusion that can no longer be ignored, and he feels his faith wavering.

The most recent developments, in particular, do not bode well for either angel or demon, which is the reason why Seijuurou has called this particular meeting with Kuroko. But now he hesitates.

“Have you recently acquired any rare books, then?” he finds himself asking instead, vaguely aware of how the casual topic defeats the purpose of the formal setting.

Kuroko looks surprised at the mention of his hobby, raising his eyebrows slightly, and Seijuurou knows it’s because it is unlike himself to initiate small talk, for he is usually one to get straight down to business, and even then he would get bored fairly quickly, were it anyone else. But nothing about Kuroko ever bores him.

They talk about Kuroko’s bookstore, about his volunteer work in the local kindergarten, and how it is a good opportunity for him to corrupt children but he never takes it, “You really ought to work on your skills as a demon, Tetsuya. How else are you supposed to rise through the ranks?”

They talk about Seijuurou’s company, and how, just because he’s the CEO, people always expect him to deal with every minor issue that they throw at him, “You could afford to go easy on them once in a while, Akashi-kun. They are your brethren, after all.”

They converse amicably, Kuroko’s dry humor matching Seijuurou’s cutting wit perfectly, a pleasant back and forth that gradually falls into a comfortable silence. All the while, contentment hums in Seijuurou’s chest.

Seijuurou finds himself selfishly wishing for this moment to never end, unwilling to shatter the fragile peace between them. But eventually, he reluctantly brings himself to address the pressing matter at hand. “Any news from the higher-ups on your side?”

Kuroko’s expression becomes ever so slightly shuttered. “Just the usual. Corrupt a few more people, win them over to the dark side. All orders, no explanations.”

“But surely something’s up,” Seijuurou presses almost anxiously. “There have been… whispers, on our side.”

“As a matter of fact, I’ve taken it upon myself to do some digging around,” Kuroko replies slowly. “Things are… not looking good. It will happen before the year is out.” He doesn’t even need to clarify what he means by _it_. There’s only ever one thing that both their fates will lead them to.

“Yes, I have come to a similar conclusion myself,” Seijuurou sighs, closing his eyes briefly. Here they are, talking about the end of the world as if commenting on the weather. He might have found it amusing, except there’s that tightening in his chest again.

“I’m sure you’ve also guessed that our side will not be the only one to initiate Armageddon,” Kuroko pauses, as if it pains him to say it. “It will be a joint effort. Heaven will duly play its part in bringing about the war.”

Seijuurou is momentarily at a loss for words. He has suspected it all along, of course, but it is one thing to have suspicions, and quite another to have them confirmed by the person he trusts the most.

It is quite disconcerting to realize that the brand of justice which he and his brethren uphold is not absolute, that Heaven is far from the benevolent authority which people believe it to be. That in the grand scheme of things, an event as devastating as Armageddon will be but a performance of the clash between good and evil, and there is little, if indeed anything, righteous or honorable about it.

Not for the first time Seijuurou hears a small voice inside his head, silently railing against all the injustices that were disguised as just causes, all the atrocities that he witnessed but was forced to turn a blind eye to. Once again he is filled with this overwhelming urge to resist, to refuse, to _rebel_ –

“Akashi-kun,” Kuroko calls sharply, snapping him out of his trance. Seijuurou wonders what Kuroko has seen in his expression to make him react thus.

He also wonders at the eternal calm that Kuroko manages to hold onto even in light of such a revelation. But then it dawns on him: _well of course Kuroko knew_. That must have been why he fell from grace in the first place. Any angel might, knowing what they both know now.

Then Kuroko is looming over him – which is impressive, considering his small build – his face inches away from Seijuurou’s, and Seijuurou finds himself staring right into Kuroko’s glowing blue eyes, with a dangerous glint that belies his usual innocent looks.

Kuroko’s teeth lengthen into pearly white fangs, sharp against his lips, and on his back, velvety black wings spread wide despite the confines of the vehicle – an afterimage of his true form, a reminder of the fundamental difference between him and Seijuurou, Heaven and Hell apart.

But perhaps they are not so different. They used to be the same, after all.

It should be repulsive to Seijuurou – the eyes, the fangs, the wings, Kuroko’s very being – an abomination condemned by all his brethren. Yet all Seijuurou feels is awe, in the face of such undeniable magnificence. Pinned down by Kuroko’s intense gaze, filled with what Seijuurou could have sworn is the same longing that he feels himself, he can almost sense his own wings unfurling slightly in anticipation, white responding to black. It does something dangerous to his heart.

Do angels even have hearts?

“Be careful,” is all Kuroko whispers, in that soft voice of his that contrasts sharply with his menacing appearance. A warning, not a threat. His breath ghosts over Seijuurou’s ear in a feather-light touch, and this close, Seijuurou realizes that his eyes look so ancient and weary, with a tinge of… sadness, perhaps.

_Don’t make my mistake. Or else you’ll end up like this._

But that traitorous voice in Seijuurou’s head is saying he wouldn’t terribly mind if he does.

He wonders what sins Kuroko committed to deserve this, what events led to his fall, what he did with the knowledge that Seijuurou has just touched upon himself. So many questions, but Seijuurou is quite certain that he wouldn’t get a straight answer from Kuroko, even if he asked.

But he thinks he can understand that weariness in Kuroko’s eyes, and feels only slightly miffed that the demon found out so much earlier than he did.

Then, as quickly as it started, it’s all over.

The movements might have been lost to the average eye, but as attuned to Kuroko’s presence as Seijuurou is, he catches the fraction of a second in which the fangs shrink and the wings fold back. He feels a gentle breeze upon his cheek, not unlike a loving caress, and he may have heard a sigh, and then Kuroko has returned to his usual unassuming self, sitting back as if nothing had happened. His wings are nowhere to be seen, and Seijuurou’s eyes dart to his lips. To check that his fangs have indeed disappeared, he tells himself. _Not_ to imagine what his lips would taste like.

For several moments more, they sit in heavy silence.

Kuroko is the one to break it. “Well, I suppose I’ve said all I can. Good day.” He dips his head slightly, and turns to open the door, ready to leave.

“Tetsuya,” Seijuurou calls.

Kuroko stops in his tracks, turning back to look at him.

“We’ll be facing each other again soon,” Seijuurou says calmly, though he feels anything but.

Not as partners… or whatever this is between them, but as agents of opposing sides, as mortal enemies. If Armageddon comes. _When_ Armageddon comes.

Seijuurou’s heart clenches just short of painfully.

Kuroko’s eyes lock with his.

“Yes, I am certain we will.”

That’s as good a promise as any.

 


End file.
